St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-10-09

MERGE, OF MlnneapO-
y lis, yields second
" IL place to none, wheth-
..N%M> er considered as a
q %I ~ buildi ng or
IA II NJ whether one figures
ERtEA\SYN + on the influence of
III S>A its members, as a
n ~ body, WELD upon
I-AL the general cOmmu-
nifty. This is more apparent in this city
than in most other places, for the sim
pie reason that these members repre-
sent largely the industry that has placed
Minneapolis where she is to-day in her
great Importance of being the leading
primary wheat market of the world, and
gained for her the widely-known and
popular name of the Flour City of the
West. The chief characteristic that
strikes a stranger on entering this cham
Der of commerce is the quiet conserva-
tism adopted in transacting business.
Speculation is rife, trading is carried on
i'm enormous figures, and deals are con-
summated in few seconds of
such proportions that it would
make the average Liverpool broker
catch his breath and eXcIaim:
GOOD God, sir!" But there is none of
til at bears arden-lunatic-as m-antics
of other speculative arenas and the
scenes witnessed daily on the Metropoli-
tan stock exchange or the boards of
trade in Chicago or Duluth are not re-
produced here in any manner or shape.
In fact so little use have the members
for the wheat pit that during the past
few weeks they have had it removed
entirely.
Passing through the substantial and
handsome building, on the second floor
oh SC
reached. This of course is the principal
attraction. 1t Isl very fine hall finished
off in brown ash wood, ornamented by
three very pretty freplaces in the quaint
English style of large open CRATES and
handsome carved woodwork. There is
a gallery above, for visitors, and i'm the
panels, about thirty feet from the floor.
are worked in gold the names of the
great wheat markets of the world The
exact dimensions of the hall are
90x150 feet and, its heighth is about
siXty-fve feet. Entering this spacious
chamber one is ushered into a scene of
quiet brisk activity. AS remarked before
the spectacle of one OF two hundred
men frantically yelling and snarling at
one another like so many auctioneerS
gone mad is never witnessed here, but
standing with little paper tabs in their
hands, chatting together in groups here
and there, moving around the tables
where the wheat samples are standing.
they sell the cereals, exchange notes
and dispatches and cast whitening
chances at their natural born enemies.
the elevator men, with an ease and eIo-
quence worthy far more the air of Paris
then this breezy wild Western state of
Minnesota. Without meaning any dis
respect to any other body of men it is
no harm to say that taken altogether as
class these men of the chamber of
commerce are as near like being the
OLD TYPE OF GENTLEMEN
as now exists in these degenerate DAYS.
Their hearts and passes are open to all
good causes. They maintain an even
temperament through sunshine and
shade, and some of them have seen.
with stole equanimity, thousands of dol
lars sweep out of their possession i'm the
markings on blackboard, and a few
minutes later have been heard to saw.
| "Well, George" to a chum, ssits time
we went to lunch," with all the sang
froid of men upon whom fortune has
smiled instead of frOwned. The his
tory of the institution is so fresh in the
minds of the people that nothing need
be said on this subject. but the person
mel of the chamber, its members have
gathered together from SO MANY ouar-
tiers, that round each of these men there
centers individuality, and the whole as
pect of the chamber in full business
swing about II o'clock presents scene
Of great interest to the OnlOoker.
There are in all over 500 members. hu
the ones in daily attendance and who 90
to make up the daily life on the floor are
about 100 people. For convenience
these can be. divided into Spectators.
regular traders, commission men and
elevator men. In front of the bip
quotation board is row of benches
commonly called gamblers alley .
where cOngregate the gentlemen who
tempt the tickle goddess for themselves
and outsiders who indulge in the mvs.
teric consequent on the rise and fall of
the market. The regular traders deal
at their tables, on which are the samnie
cans OF wheat, corn and oats, while fhe
elevator men, who are constantly ON the
lookout for customers, are known NV =
suave will you walk into -my-narIor'
-spider-to-the-fy manner. that
really has something very inviting and
inSidiouS back of it.
PROMINENT TRADERS
Prominent in this class is Georoe nc
born, man of doubtful age and birtb-
place, whose good old name is sunk info
the depths Of the non de plume of dc To-
Olsen, but whose qualities of neSat i've
nature are completely redeemed by tbe
excellent tips he furnishes reporters on
the Wheat yield of Dakota. One of the
most beautiful sights the floor affords is
ne spectacle OF NJ. Wy erxa and the ia
~ nous Peter Oh